It is known that tower structures, such as tower structures of wind turbines, occasionally have to be entered by service personnel for maintenance, repair, or service works. The service personnel has to pass respective hatches or hatch devices axially dividing the tower structure in compartments or inner volumes within a respective tower structure. Respective hatches or hatch devices are usually provided at platforms being disposed within respective tower structures.
It is regulated that service personnel has to wear safety gear while climbing ascending and/or descending structures, such as ladders etc., within the tower structure. However, respective safety gear securing the service personnel close to the inner circumference of the tower structure regularly causes problems when conventional hatches or hatch devices have to passed since it is hardly possible to reach the hatch and being safely secured at the same time.
Usually, the only possibility to reach respective hatches is to temporarily detach the safety gear. However, this compromises safety regulations as well as the safety of the service person as he might fall through the opened hatch.